Raheem Sterling has been linked with Arsenal as a potential replacement for Alexis, who would go the other way. There is no doubt he is an excellent talent, but he’s not the right player to replace Alexis.

From Arsenal’s perspective, the deal did make sense.

Sterling has the skills to replace what Arsenal would lose with Alexis Sanchez – that combination of explosiveness and skill that allows them to beat players with the ball – and is also capable of playing in multiple attacking positions. It was as close to a like-for-like replacement that they were going to find at the time.

However, now that Arsenal have time to assess their options, they can, perhaps, see that Sterling isn’t quite the right player.

He doesn’t have Alexis’ hunger to score goals, nor is he quite as spontaneous in the final third. He’s a player who’s improving all the time at City and developing his end product, but not one who could, say, rifle in a screamer from 30-yards out of nowhere in an FA Cup final.

Players like that are rare but it’s that level of quality that Arsenal need to be on the lookout for when replacing Alexis. Their squad is already full of attackers with inconsistent end product. A player with a bit more maturity and intelligence in the final third wouldn’t go amiss.

Sterling is a player who strikes me as someone who thrives given precise instructions but might struggle in a more improvised set-up. At City, Guardiola tells him exactly where he needs to be and what he needs to do, and he benefits enormously from the quality of his team mates. For England, though, his role is more off-the-cuff. They often rely on him for creativity and improvisation in the final third, and he finds it a lot harder to perform consistently.

At Arsenal under Arsene Wenger, his role would be similar. Arsenal afford more freedom to their attackers and lean more heavily on their individual talent than many other clubs do. Alexis, who is a risk-taker, thrived without any restraints and had the quality to deliver. Sterling, on the other hand, may struggle with that level of responsibility, especially in a team that isn’t as talented as City’s.

While he’s a young player, he’s also one that needs careful guidance to achieve his potential. I’d have my doubts about him getting that at Arsenal, who are much more hands-off about player development. Young players at Arsenal develop through freedom and experience, but that method doesn’t suit everyone. I can’t see it suiting Sterling.

If Sterling were available, he’d be a tempting option. However, Arsenal would be better off looking for a more mature player that suits their team and methods, rather than forcing a younger player to adapt.